Architectural solution by saving energy using photovoltaic panels as an environmentally friendly solution: Existing Egyptian government buildings

Conventional electric power generation methods require excessive burning of fossil fuel, which leads to global warming, excessive carbon dioxide emissions, and resulting in global climate change. Nowadays, the world's main concern is using green electrical power generation methods. Government office buildings currently use excessive electrical power, mostly during the morning. Solar electric power generation through its envelopes is one of its electrical energy-saving methods. The research goal is to illustrate an applicable methodology that can be applied to convert existing office-building envelopes into solar electrical power-generating ones with the minimum effect on their architectural aesthetics. To accomplish the research goal, it began by choosing one of the existing governmental office buildings with a south-oriented façade. Using a 3-dimensional terrestrial laser scanner, a building facade survey was done to distinguish its existing situation. Three architectural adaptation alternatives for merging photovoltaic panel types available in the Egyptian market on the south building façade were done, followed by evaluating the solar amount of electrical power generated by each alternative and the annual savings in electricity costs that could be accomplished. The research concluded that getting an appropriate architectural photovoltaic panel (PVP) façade merging solution will affect the amount of solar electric power generated.